With the AI market heating up, Google has announced its ambitious plans to launch the first of its AI-powered glasses as early as 2026. This is a way to compete with Meta and Apple, who have taken an early lead in the sector. Google has several prominent collaborators in the project. The announcement was made during The Android Show | XR Edition.
Google will launch AI glasses in 2026
According to Google’s latest revelation, the company has plans to launch the first of its AI-powered glasses in 2026. The Alphabet-owned company is collaborating with Samsung on the hardware aspects, as well as Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. Google reportedly agreed to a $150 million commitment in May for this.
Google will develop these glasses on top of the Android XR, Google’s operating system for its headsets.
In a recent blog post, which also had information about Google’s AI glasses, the company said they were working to “design stylish, lightweight glasses that you can wear comfortably all day. With our partners, we are working to create two types of glasses.”
The two types include a model with “built-in speakers, microphones and cameras to let you chat naturally with Gemini.” It can also take photos. The other one, which should generate more anticipation, “adds an in-lens display that privately shows you helpful information, right when you need it, like turn-by-turn navigation or translation captions.”
Google also revealed the plans for wired XR glasses that will offer an “unique blend of headset-like immersion and real-world presence.”
This update comes after Google announced back in May that it would be getting back into the smart glasses market. Google had previously tried its luck with the technology nearly a decade ago. However, AI was not advanced enough back then and plans fell through.
Google is expected to face stiff competition from Meta, who is also working on their own AI-powered glasses.
